Yes, you can request a replacement of CalFresh benefits for food that is spoiled or destroyed due to a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), a natural disaster (such as wildfire, flood, mudslide, or earthquake), or a household misfortune (such as a house fire).
To request replacement of CalFresh food benefits, contact your local Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services (DSS) office. You will need to complete, sign, and turn in Form CF 303 (Replacement or Disaster Supplement Affadavit) to request a replacement. Include your contact information and a short description of how your food was lost. Include the time and date of the power outage. You can return the form in person, by mail, by fax, or online via OCTOPUS.
If the power is shut off, call your local DSS office before visiting in person to make sure they are open.
Q: How soon do I have to report the food loss? What happens after I report it?
You have 10 days to report the food loss to your local DSS office. (In some cases the deadline is extended to 20 or 30 days after a large disaster, but assume 10 days unless DSS tells you otherwise.)
The office may need to verify what happened. This may involve calling the utility company, the Red Cross, the fire department, or someone else who knows what happened; or visiting the home.
DSS can replace the actual value of the food destroyed, for a person already on CalFresh benefits, up to a maximum of one month's allotment for the household. If the EBT card was lost or destroyed in the incident, DSS can replace the card as well.
Q: What exactly is a "public safety power shutoff" (PSPS)? How can I be prepared for one?
To prevent fires and protect public safety, it is sometimes necessary for the utility company to turn off electricity when gusty winds and dry conditions, combined with a heightened fire risk, are forecasted. This is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff or PSPS. These shutoffs can last up to a week.
To learn more about being prepared for a PSPS, click here. If and when a potential PSPS event is scheduled for parts of Santa Barbara County, you will find a map and the latest information at readysbc.org/.
